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Fabio Capello resigned as England manager Wednesday. He leaves the position he’s held since 2007, just over four months before England participates in this summer’s European Championships. He offered his resignation in a meeting with FA bosses, and it was accepted with immediate effect, according to theFA.com.

“The discussions focused on The FA board’s decision to remove the England team captaincy from John Terry, and Fabio Capello’s response through an Italian broadcast interview.”

Capello fell out with the FA after its board stripped John Terry of the England captaincy on Friday. Terry is battling charges (in court) of racially abusing an opponent, but the case will not go to trial until July. Capello disagreed with the move in private discussions last week, but then publicly aired the dispute on Italian television on Sunday.

The FA’s decision on Terry undermined Capello’s authority, and the 65-year-old tactician decided to walk away from one of the most prestigious positions in world soccer. The Italian twice picked Terry as England’s on-field leader, only to see his employers remove the Chelsea defender from the role.

Capello’s contract was set to expire this summer (after Euro 2012), and it was widely expected that both parties would part ways following its expiration.

England will now set its search for a new manager into over-drive. Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is believed to be the front-runner.

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